Almond Meringue Tartlets Recipes

ALMOND TARTLETS RECIPE

Steps:

• Set the oven to gas mark 6 or 200°C.
• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using cutter, cut pastry to line bun-tray holes, re-rolling pastry as necessary.
• Mix the jam in a small bowl until it's runny, and then place a very small amount in the base of each pastry case, smearing it out to cover the base.
• Beat the butter so it's really soft, then add sugar, ground almonds, egg yolk and almond extract. Beat until smooth, then divide mixture between pastry cases, spreading it out slightly. Sprinkle flaked almonds on top.
• Bake tartlets in the centre of the oven for 10 mins, then reduce oven temperature to gas mark 2 or 150°C, and cook for a further 10-15 mins, or until they are a light-golden colour.
• Remove the tartlets from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar just before serving.

JAPONAISE (ALMOND MERINGUE) TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour 3 baking trays, or line them with baking paper, and mark each with an 8" circle.
• Place ground almonds, superfine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, mix together, and set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a small bowl until they form soft peaks.
• Gradually add the extra superfine sugar, and continue beating until the mixture resembles uncooked meringue.
• Carefully fold the almond mixture, that was set aside, into the meringue.
• Spread meringue mixture on to each of the 3 trays inside the marked circles, or use a piping bag with a 1/2" nozzle to pipe a spiral within each circle.
• Place two of the trays on the centre shelf of the oven and the third on the shelf below.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until meringue is a pale, golden colour- if necessary move the bottom tray to the centre shelf and cook a further 5 minutes.
• Allow the trays to cool on wire racks for 10 minutes before loosening the meringues with a large spatula- do not remove meringues from trays until they have completely cooled.
• For the coffee butter cream- bring the sugar and water to the boil in a small pan, then reduce heat and simmer until the syrup thickens.
• Remove from heat and add the coffee essence, and stir briefly to combine.
• Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and, beating continuously with an electric mixer, add the coffee syrup.
• While continuing to beat, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is all amalgamated.
• Taste, and add more coffee essence if desired.
• Cool the butter cream in the refrigerator until it reaches spreading consistency.
• To assemble the torte, place one meringue layer on a serving platter and spread with some butter cream.
• Place second meringue on top, spread with butter cream, and repeat with the third meringue.
• Cover the top of torte, and the side, with remaining butter cream.
• Sprinkle toasted almond flakes all over, to decorate, then place in refrigerator until 10 to 15 minutes before serving time, preferably overnight.
• Dust top with powdered sugar to serve.

ALMOND TART FROM ANDRIA

Steps:

• Make the tart dough at least 6 hours before rolling it (preferably longer). Put the flour, salt, and sugar into the bowl of the food processor. Process for a few seconds to mix the dry ingredients. Drop the cut-up butter on top of the flour, and pulse the machine in a dozen or more short bursts, until the mixture is crumbly with only small bits of butter visible.
• Pour the egg yolks over the crumbs, and pulse in bursts for about 5 seconds total, to moisten the dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of ice water on the dough, and pulse again for a few seconds. The dough should begin to clump together but won't form a solid mass.
• Scrape it all out onto a board; gather and press the clumps into a firm ball. If it's dry and crumbles apart, sprinkle more ice water over the dough and knead gently. When the dough sticks together, flatten it into a disk, wrap well in plastic, and refrigerate for 6 hours or up to a day before rolling; freeze the dough for longer keeping.
• When you're ready to roll the dough and fill the tart, preheat your oven to 350˚, with a rack set in the center. Place a baking stone on the rack if you have one.
• Cut off a third of the dough in a single piece for the lattice top; keep it chilled.
• Place the larger piece of dough between two sheets of parchment, and roll it out to an even round, 11 inches in diameter. Peel off the top sheet of parchment, invert the circle over the tart pan, and peel off the remaining sheet. Press the dough gently down into the pan so it covers the bottom and lines the sides. Trim the edges of the dough round so it is even with the pan rim. With your fingers, form an even wall all the way around. Use scraps of dough to fill cracks or thin spots on the bottom or sides. Put the lined tart pan in the refrigerator.
• Now roll the smaller piece of dough between the parchment sheets to a 10-inch round. Remove the top parchment sheet, and cut the dough in 1-inch-wide strips with a pastry cutter or sharp knife. Leave the strips in place on the parchment sheet, and refrigerate them while you make the filling.
• Put the egg whites with the pinch of salt in the bowl of the electric mixer, and start whisking at medium speed. When the whites are frothy, pour in the sugar gradually, and raise the speed as the whites expand and thicken. When all the sugar has been incorporated, drop in the lemon zest, and continue whipping until the whites are very light, smooth, and glossy. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top, a handful at a time, and fold in gently with a spatula so they are evenly dispersed.
• Take the pastry-lined tart pan and lattice strips from the refrigerator. Scrape the filling into the pastry shell, and spread it evenly.
• To form the lattice top, lay half the strips right over the filling, parallel and spaced about an inch apart. Lay the other strips diagonally across the first set, covering the entire top of the tart in an even pattern-cutting the strips or piecing them together to make different lengths. When they're all arranged, press and pinch the ends of the strips securely into the top rim of dough in the pan.
• Bake the tart-on a stone, if you have one-for about 45 minutes, or until the filling has risen and dried and appears firm and lightly browned in the lattice. The dough strips and rim should be golden brown.
• Cool the tart on a wire rack. When the crust has contracted a bit, slip off the fluted side ring. When it is completely cool, transfer the tart to a serving plate, if you wish, by sliding a long wide spatula (or two spatulas) under the pastry bottom and lifting the tart off the metal disk. Cut it in wedges, and serve.

ALMOND MERINGUES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. While beating, gradually add the sugar and then continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the almond extract.
• Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a star pastry tip and pipe 1-inch meringues onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1-inch apart. Bake until the meringues are no longer glossy and feel light and dry when picked up, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven but leave the meringues inside with the door cracked open until the meringues are completely cooled and dry, about 2 hours more. The meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.